Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality

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Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality is a large area in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, located on the coast. It includes East London (the municipal seat), Bhisho, Qonce, and the big townships Mdantsane and Zwelitsha.

History and name: It began as a local municipality in 2000 and became a metro in 2011. It is named after the Buffalo River, which ends at a river port—the only river port in South Africa.

Size, people, and language: The metro covers about 2,753 square kilometers and has about 975,000 residents (2022). The population is mostly Black African, with small White, Coloured, and Indian/Asian communities. Xhosa is the most spoken first language, followed by English and Afrikaans.

Economy: The area has a strong manufacturing base, especially in the auto industry. Mercedes-Benz South Africa runs a large assembly plant near East London for export vehicles.

Climate: The climate is mild with lots of sunshine. Average annual rainfall is around 850 millimeters.

Government: The municipal council has 100 members—50 elected in wards and 50 from party lists to ensure proportional representation. In the 2021 election, the ANC won a majority. The mayor is Princess Faku (ANC). The speaker is Humphrey Maxhegwana, and the deputy mayor position is currently vacant. The chief whip is Mawethu Marata (ANC). The municipal code is BUF, and the time zone is South Africa Standard Time (UTC+2).